Huerta Belinda is a majestic large mansion in the small and natural urbanisation of El Cuarton. It is 8km from bohemian Tarifa and its wonderful beaches. It has a beautiful pool and gardens, lovely patios for relaxing and magnificent views. Once at Huerta Belinda you may just not want to leave!

It is a magical place for holidays with family and friends, or for small weddings, or even for hosting small specialist retreats such as yoga or fitness.

Please click on the various tabs to find out more about this beautiful property, availability and prices.

Email. HuertaBelinda@hotmail.com

The HousE

Some background

The 700m2 built house is set in the middle of stunning grounds in a plot of 7,500m2. It’s not overlooked by anyone and is a secluded paradise. 

We purchased the house in August 2018 and spent many months extensively refurbishing it. This included totally renovating all the bedrooms and bathrooms and kitchen. We added many attentive touches to bring this impressive property back to its former glory.

The house is one of the oldest in El Cuarton, having been constructed in early 1980s and had a significant extension some 10 years later. It commands one of the most impressive views in El Cuarton, if not the whole of Andalusia. It feels like you can almost touch Africa!

The house itself

The house consists of one main block, with lots of nooks and crannies that keep you guessing and that ultimately lead to the various different bedrooms and casual areas.

Having driven through the gates into the private grounds and parking up, there is then an inviting wooden double door entrance, behind which holds the magic of this property.

Walking diagonally through the courtyard brings you to the understated front door of the house. 

Family lounge area

The door opens into a large, very high ceilinged family lounge area decorated with Spanish wooden antique furniture. Central to the room is a large open fireplace surrounded by comfy sofas. It is an ideal place for watching a movie on the large screen TV, or for just relaxing and discussing the day’s activities over a glass of red wine or two.

Dining area

Taking the staircase down from the lounge brings you to the large dining room, which looks out onto the lawn and across the straits of Gibraltar via two patio doors. The table comfortably seats 16 people and additional tables and chairs can be added to cater for up to 24 or more people if necessary. The room has a high ceiling made of terracotta and wooden beams. A door at the back of the room leads to the kitchen preparation room and then onto the main kitchen.

If it is one of the 250+ days of Andalusian sunshine, then it is likely you will forgo the indoor dining option and step through the patio doors onto the covered patio area that has two large outdoor tables. It is perfect for long lazy summer lunches or evening meals.

At the other end of the dining room there is an impressive large wooden double door just waiting to be opened. It will not disappoint!

Formal lounge/function room

The shape and elegance of this beautiful room was created by the previous owner and was just too lovely to change in any way. The 300 year old tile floor was apparently from a convent in Córdoba and the far wall of the room is completely covered by a beautiful old Belgian tapestry. 

Comfy chairs are dotted around the room and it is the perfect place to relax and just chat, read or play board games. 

The patio doors in the middle of the room open on to another decorative marbled terrace. A few steps off the patio and you are on the front lawn.

The door at the far corner of the room leads off to two bedrooms, the Master Suite and the Garden bedroom.

 The kitchen and preparation room

 The kitchen preparation room is accessed from the dining room and also has a serving hatch. This room is a must for decluttering the main kitchen when cooking for a large group of friends or family. 

From the preparation room you can also take the short staircase back up to the casual lounge near the front door entrance. Or you can walk through the arch to the kitchen.

The kitchen is fully fitted and newly installed. Importantly, it has two ovens and two ceramic hob surfaces, making cooking for large numbers much easier.  The kitchen has a a large American style fridge that has both refrigerator and freezer space. Under the central island working surface there is  a double wine cooler storage area, so that the fridge does not become cluttered with the chilled cava and white wine that will no doubt be drunk. Within the kitchen area there is an additional dishwasher for the pots and pans, as well as another double sink.  Adjoining the kitchen is a utility/machine room that contains a washing machine, tumble drier, an industrial size catering fridge, a further small deep freeze and a pantry storage area.

The kitchen leads out on to a small charming patio and overlooks a small part of the garden with newly planted fruit trees. The patio also leads onto the Patio Rooms.

The Bedrooms

The bedrooms and sleeping areas

The house has 4 separate areas with bedrooms, which makes it ideal for large families or indeed three or four families to still holiday together, but also to have their own private areas and downtime. 

All twin bedded rooms have the option of the beds being converted to form a king size bed by interlinking the bases and mattresses. There is no chance of that really annoying thing of the beds moving apart!

Master Suite and Garden Room

These two bedrooms can be found at the end of a short corridor that leads off from the formal lounge/ function room. 

The room has a sliding door that leads on to an ensuite bathroom. The bathroom has a stand alone bath with views across to Africa and a large open walk in shower area, as well as a double sink and toilet. 

The bedroom has a double patio door leading onto a small secluded patio, with table and chairs. It is perfect for that evening drink before joining the others for supper.

The Garden Room bedroom is next to the Master Suite and has a twin/double bed combination. It has an ensuite bathroom through a sliding door, which comprises of a large open space shower, as well as a large sink and toilet.

The bedroom is either accessed off the small corridor from the function room or it has a single door access from the walled garden, that comprises of a small lawn and various fruit trees.

The Vista bedrooms

The Vista bedrooms are upstairs from the main family lounge and consist of two separate bedrooms. Each have the twin/double bed combination and both have ensuite bathrooms with a bath and shower combination.  

Between the two bedrooms there is a small cosy lounge (Vista Room lounge)  with a sofa and coffee tables. This room has interconnecting doors with both bedrooms on each side of it and is an ideal family area.

Alternatively, the sofa can be converted to a pull out double bed. The lounge also has its own entrance into the hallway. If converted into a bedroom, it would share the bathroom (with a separate external entrance) with the left Vista room. The lounge also has double patio doors that open onto the large upstairs patio area. 

The Patio rooms

This self contained family suite is either accessed through the external kitchen door or from the patio that leads onto the small walled-garden area. 

We think it was originally an area of the house where the staff or house manager lived. It has a separate entrance from the patio that opens into a small family lounge area with a couple of comfy chairs and a coffee table.

The Courtyard rooms

Finally, in the central courtyard area by the entrance to the house are the Courtyard Rooms. These are accessed from the courtyard by going up a few steps on to a mezzanine level.

The Left Courtyard room is a large bright and airy apartment style room. It has the twin/double bed combination, as well as a a couple of comfy chairs and coffee table. It has extensive built in wardrobes along one wall, with twin windows on another that look out across the walled garden area. There is a large en suite bathroom with a bath/shower combination.

The Right Courtyard room is more or less a mirror image of the left Courtyard room. Again this has the twin/double bed possibility, but in addition it has an adjoining smaller room that accommodates two single beds. It is ideal for a couple with a young family, offering privacy but at the same time it is only a few steps away from being able to pop your head round the door to ensure the young ones are sleeping soundly.

Bedroom combinations

Summary of sleeping combinations

Bedrooms

Garden, pool and bbq area

The garden

The garden has large sweeping lawns, interspersed with planted large rockery areas. If the children are able to drag themselves away from the pool then they will expend every last bit of energy running around in the garden. The main lawns are at the front and west side of the house, giving a green carpet at the forefront of any picture across to Morocco.

The driveway is situated at what we call the back of the house, having driven through the gates of an impressive stone wall entrance. The oval shaped driveway is flanked by grass lawns on both sides, and leads to the double wooden doors into the Courtyard.  

The Pool and BBQ area are where, no doubt, you will spend most of your time. The kidney shaped pool is about  11 meters by 6 meters and up to 2 meters deep.

The pool has built in steps in the shallow end and a ledge along one side which is perfect for allowing you to sit in the water to cool off while not having to let go of your glass of cava. The pool has LED lights for that evening swim, or just for that holiday feel if dining outside. 

Around the pool is an extensive patio area made from local Tarifa stone. It gives plenty of room for the 20 sun beds (no need to fight over them!) which are placed between the numerous palm trees that are embedded within the patio. The patio has lights within it and also the palm trees have up lighting and down lighting. Perfect for that late night swim.                                                                                                                         

Between the courtyard and the pool area there is a recently extended patio area that encompasses a large gas BBQ and an additional informal eating area. There is no doubt that many lovely meals will be enjoyed here.

Adjoining the courtyard, in what used to be a large double garage, is the games room. This room is designed to be a chill out and fun area, with comfy sofas, a large flatscreen TV and a table tennis table. Children and adults alike are going to have a hard choice choosing between the games room and the pool table in the function room! For those families that just want peace and quiet, this room is designed to easily remove all furniture and equipment and convert to a yoga or relaxation area.

PRICES and availability

Huerta Belinda is available for rental throughout the year. We recognise that there are busier times and quieter times and our pricing tries to reflect the various demand. 

We have tried to offer a competitive pricing that gives value for money, but also takes into account the significant investment  that we have put into this wonderful property. 

Other services, including massages, daily breakfasts and lunches, as well a private chef to cook for the family party in the evenings, yoga classes, or additional cleaning can all be arranged at an additional cost, and will be payable at the time of receiving the service. These services are subject to availability and will need to be arranged in advance.

Private airport transfers can also be arranged.

Tarifa and things to do

ABOUT EL CUARTON  

El Cuarton is a small gem of an urbanisation with some 200 houses and villas sprawling over the hillside, across the road and down into the valley.  It has a very laid back design and atmosphere.

It is only 8 kilometers from the lovely small bohemian town of Tarifa and its fantastic wide uncrowded beaches. This is the starting point of the Costa de La Luz. The urbanisation itself looks directly down a valley and is the shortest point across to Africa, which is only 14km away.

El Cuarton enjoys its own local micro climate and almost always has a pleasant cooling breeze, which reduces the temperature by 3 or 4 degrees Celsius, compared to the surrounding areas. This is very welcome in the hot summer months.

The inhabitants of El Cuarton are incredibly lucky as we are mainly surrounded by Los Alcornacales national park and the land has been designated as rural and cannot be developed further. It makes El Cuarton a beautiful, unspoilt and tranquil place for that relaxing family holiday.

Tarifa town

Tarifa town, on the Costa de La Luz,  has been a holiday destination that the Spanish have been visiting for decades. However it is still not all that well known to foreign tourists, compared to the much more populated other Costas.

There are no high rise buildings in Tarifa and it is composed of a quaint old town and the newer part of town through the arched main gate. It is steeped in history and was a important stronghold over the centuries due to its location and for the ability to see all ships passing through the Straits of Gibraltar. Today it still retains its small fishing village feel.

Over the last few decades the windsurfers, and now kite surfers have discovered Tarifa due to its predictable winds. It has brought a more bohemian feel to the town and it doesn’t have the pretentiousness of some holiday areas.

Tarifa is small enough to walk around in 30 minutes or so and is blessed with numerous restaurants and bars to suit every taste. Restaurants are generally low key, serving excellent local tapas and with an emphasis on fresh fish.

Please look at the internet for more details on Tarifa and what is on locally at different times of the year.

 THINGS TO DO IN THE AREA

The chances are that if you are looking to holiday in the Costa de La Luz, then you are already aware of what the area has to offer and just importantly what it does not want to offer.

Obviously Tarifa is world renowned for its kite surfing and windsurfing, holding various prestigious competitions each year. For those seeking these thrills there are numerous surf and kite shops in the town and with schools along the beach for learning or improving your skills.

Just 8 km from Huerta Belinda is the first of many white sandy beaches which literally stretch for kilometers. There are many beaches to choose from, starting at the doorstep of Tarifa and going all the way up to Cádiz. Local favorites are Punta Paloma and Bolonia (a small fishing village some 10km off the main road and about 25 minutes drive from El Cuarton) which has some rather impressive Roman ruins where tuna catches were originally stored.

In addition to the beaches, there are excellent walking and mountain biking routes that are just up the hill from Huerta Belinda. Bikes can be hired in Tarifa itself. Depending on the time of year you may well see some of the abundant migratory bird life that is coming or going to Africa and particularly certain types of vultures.

A number of hotels and other establishments also offer horseriding either inland or along the beach (depending on the time of year).

Other favorites include whale and dolphin watching (departs from Tarifa), tours of bodegas in Jerez (the home of sherry) which is 45 minutes drive away through a beautiful national park, or even a day trip to Tangiers in Morocco (35 minutes away by fast ferry from Tarifa).

Going eastwards from El Cuarton brings you to numerous golf courses. The well known San Roque golf course is one of the closest and only 20 minutes away). There are also the polo fields at Sotogrande (25 mins). Alternatively, there are the monkeys and tours of the caves in Gibraltar, if you fancy ticking off another country on the list (don’t forget your passport).

 However, with all the amenities at Huerta Belinda and the lure of just relaxing by the pool, as you watch the ships passing through the Straits of Gibraltar, it might be that many of these attractions and activities are left for another time.

 retreats and functions

We are very proud of what we have created at Huerta Belinda and want to share its delights and amenities with as wide an audience as possible.

The house sleeps 19 people across 10 bedrooms (see sleeping arrangements section for more detail) and has been refurbished in a way that makes it a perfect venue for small group getaways or retreats. There is potential for additional sleeping accommodation for over flow guests in a nearby family owned hotel.

Yoga, well being, lifestyle and fitness retreats

The games room has been created in a manner that allows everything to be hidden from sight, to create an indoor yoga style large room capable of hosting 16+ participants. It is also suitable for indoor circuit and fitness training. We have created the studio so that it can also be used for aerial yoga for up to 13 participants. The indoor yoga/fitness room is circa 55 square meters, however, the five meter wide sliding patio doors can be pushed to one side to give access to a further 40 square metre outdoor work-out terrace. A pergola style shaded area above this outdoor terrance is about to be constructed in time for the spring season. The yoga/ fitness studio is equipped with a large Smart TV ( that can be hidden by a curtain when appropriate) and blue tooth speakers.

In addition, there are many patios around the grounds that allow for outdoor sessions and meditation.

The expansive lawns (with incredible views) are ideal for outdoor relaxation sessions, as well as circuit and fitness training.

Yoga mats, as well as fitness mats and other equipment are provided for up to 20 people. New fitness equipment, such as boxing gloves and pads, hand and bar weights, kettle bells, steps, bands, Swiss balls and skipping ropes are provided. Additionally, more specialist circuit equipment such as heavy training ropes for outside circuits are also supplied . The equipment is geared up to accommodate 16 people. The gentle 90m sloping lawn would make an ideal hill training session!

Other retreats. The house has a number of large rooms that are ideal for meetings, discussions and other group activities where someone can run a retreat of their choosing. From writing classes through to painting classes and photography workshops, the beautiful natural surroundings and jaw dropping views will create a perfect environment for teaching and inspiration.

With national parks and beauty all around, it is a perfect base for walking holidays, mountain biking or bird watching at the time of the migrations to and from Africa.

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